The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Diet rather like the Mayo Clinic Diet (grapefruit diet), have been circulating society for a number of years. I should first of all be clear that neither the BHF nor the Mayo Clinic endorse either of these diets.
The Unofficial British Heart Foundation Diet. 3 Day Diet.
This is a diet that is essentially a very low calorie diet that you follow for 3 days. It is said that you can lose up to 10 pounds in 3 days on this diet. Not sure about that. You certainly will experience hunger on this diet.
This diet is strange indeed being made up of a strange mixture of foods. If you want to try it you only have yourself to blame if you feel ill. I don’t recommend this diet and I will give anything a go.
Day 1 – drink water if thirsty
Breakfast
Unlimited black coffee or tea
½ grapefruit
1 slice toast spread with 2 teaspoons peanut butter
Lunch
Slice toast with 100g tinned tuna
Dinner
2 slices any cold meat
100g string beans
100g beetroot – cooked
1 apple
100g vanilla ice cream
Day 2
Breakfast
Unlimited black coffee or tea
1 boiled or poached egg
1 slice toast
½ banana
Lunch
5 crackers (Jacobs etc)
100g cottage cheese
Dinner
½ banana
75g steamed broccoli
50g cooked carrots
2 hot dogs or frankfurters
100f vanilla ice cream
Day 3
Breakfast
Black coffee or tea
5 cracker (Jacobs etc)
1 slice cheddar cheese
1 small apple
Lunch
1 hard boiled egg
1 slice toast
Dinner
100g tinned tuna
100g boiled beetroot
100g steamed cauliflower
½ melon
100g vanilla ice cream
The Official British Heart Foundation Diet
The philosophy behind the official BHF diet is to promote good health by recommending, a balanced diet.
The diet has the following recommendations that people should follow in order to cut down the risks of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Also this diet is recommended as a means to reducing high cholesterol levels, and the possibility of developing some cancers.
British Heart Foundation Dietary Guidelines
Eat at lest 5 portions of fruit and veg a day.
Cut back on saturated fat.
Replace saturated fats with monounsaturated (e.g. olive oil) or polyunsaturated (e. g. sunflower oil).
Avoid or cut down the amount of trans-fats consumed.
Eat foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids e.g. sardines or salmon.
Reduce the amount of salt in the diet, to reduce the chances of developing high blood pressure.
Eat plenty of starchy foods especially those high in fibre.